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THE  BEST  DRIVING  WHEEL 


7 


FOR 


FREIi&HT    ENGINES 


THE 


CAST  lEON  CHILLED  SLIP  TIRE, 


CONFINED  fflTHOUT  STRAIN,  TO  A  CAST  lEON  CENTER, 


-♦-•••->- 


JJatenUb  ^pril  10,  18^3,  bw  @:i]atrli£r  JJakins,  atib  tom. 

iHcilXal]on,  of  Baltimore,  iHb.  anb  bn  tljetn 

asaijgncb  to  £.13.  S^s^ig. 


ZERAH    COLBURN, 

SOLE  AGENT  UNDER  THE  ASSIGNEE  OF  THE  PATENT. 


N  K  W     YORK     CI  T  Y . 
1858. 


5 
^ 


X 


i 

THE  BEST  DRIVING  WHEEL 


FOR 


FREIGHT    ENGINES 


THE 


CAST  IRON  CHILLED  SLIP  TIRE, 


CONFINED,  WITHOUT  STRAIN,  TO  A  CAST  IRON  CENTER. 


|)atenUb  ^pril  10,  1843,  bg  ®l)atcl)cr  jerkins,  onb  totn< 

ittciUaljon,  of  SaUiinor^,  iH^.  anlr  b^  tlj^m 

assignebf  to  fi.  33.  @^2«S. 


ZEBAH   C^LBURN, 

SOLE  AGENT  UNDER  THE  ASSIGNEE  OF  THE  PATENT. 


NEW    YORK     CITY 
1853. 


The  subscriljer,  in  offering  to  Eailway  Companies,  Eailtray  Contractors,  and  Loco-' 
inotive  Builders,  the  solid  and  HOLLOW  CAST  lEON  CHILLED  SLIP  TIEES, 
for  which  he  is  sole  Agent,  (under  the  assignee  of  the  patent)  for  the  United  State?^ 
hegs  attention  to  the  following  practical  statements  of  their  ADAPTATION,  SEEVICE 
and  EOONOMY.  ZBRAH  COI^^BURK. 


Printed  by  B.  H.  Penhallow,  ? 
28  Merrimack  Stxe«t,  LovriU.  f 


J 


CIRCULAR 


TThe  principle  of  the  use  and  applieatioR  of  th-e  diilled,  cast  iron 
tire,  for  Engine  Drivers,  was  long  ago  developed  in  the  business 
of  some  of  the  gi-eat  Freight  Railroads  of  this  country.  It  was 
tested  with  a  view  to  greater  strength  and  wear,  and  to  a  saving  in 
the  expense  of  ''-shoeing  the  locomotive.^ ^  Upon  the  Baltimore  and 
€hio  Railroad,  where  the  present  patented  method  of  applying  these 
tires  was  first  introduced,  they  have  superseded  every  thing  else,  and 
upon  no  road  could  these  part-s  of  the  rolling  stock  be  more  fully 
tested.  The  great  physical  features  of  this  road  present  a  succession 
of  extreme  difl&culties,  and  challenge  all  other  lines  for  the  severe 
and  effectual  test  they  give  the  motive  machinery.  The  engines 
of  this  Road  are  of  Thirty  tons  weight,  for  first  «lass  capacity,  and 
have  from  six  to  eight  coupled  drivers  of  from  43  to  50  inches 
diameter  only.  It  is  evident  that  such  engines  exert  great  power ^ 
and  are  subject  to  great  wear.  The  grades  overcome  are,  in  some 
cases,  116  feet  per  mile,  for  eleven  miles.  Out  of  the  first  100  miles 
west  of  Cumberland,  one  third  of  the  distance  is  upon  grades  exceed- 
ing 100  feet  per  mile.  The  curves  are  very  sharp,  being  as  short  as 
500  feet  radius  on  some  parts  of  the  line.  The  summit  elevation 
of  the  road  is  3000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  in  winter  is  a  region 

of  intense  cold.    So  far  as  sliocks,  constant  strain,  hard  wear  and 

frost,  can  affect  a  tire,  these  tires  are  fully  tested.  Upon  this  road, 
under  all  circumstances  of  freight  and  passenger  transportation,  these 
tires  perform  faithfully,  without  one  failure.     They  run  OUC  and  one 

half  millions  of  miles  yearly,  and  are  admitted  to  save  Thirty  Thousand 

Dollars  yearly,  in  repairs,  over  what  would  attend  the  use  of  the 


wrought  iron  tires,  for  similar  service.  The  Philadelpliia,  "Wilmington 
and  Baltimore  Railroad;  the  Eastern  Railroad,  in  Massachusetts; 
the  Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad ;  the  Boston  and  Providence  Railroad ; 
the  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania ;  Cincinnati,  Hamilton  and  Dayton ; 
Cleveland,  Columbus  and  Cincinnati ;  Mad  River,  and  other  Railroads, 
are  now  using  the  cast  iron  chilled  tire,  with  every  result  of  safety, 

durability  and  economy. 

The  entire  experience  with  these  tires  shows  the  cast  iron  chilled 
surface  to  have  some  very  positive  advantages  over  wrought  iron,  and 
in  no  essential  respect  is  it  at  all  inferior. 

Its  claims,  where  it  is  attached  to  a  cast  iron  center,  are,  above 
the  ordinary  wheel  with  wrought  tire  :  — 

i^iVs^-  Greater  strength,  to  resist  sudden  fracture. 

Second:  Equal,  or  greater  durability,  for  constant  service. 

Third:  Equal  adhesion. 

Fourth :  Fifty  per  cent,  less  expense  in  its  first  application. 

Fifth:  Seventy-Five  per  cent,  less  expense  in  its  subsequent  main- 
tenance and  renewals. 

The  evidence  is  here  given,  requisite  to  support  each  of  these 
claims. 

First :  Greater  Strengtil.  These  tires  never  burst  or  crack  through. 
This  is  not  predicted,  but  is  the  result  of  the  experience  in  their  use. 
The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  have  141  engines  fitted  with  chilled 
tires  or  the  whole  chilled  wheel;  the  majority,  say  100,  having  the 
removable  tire,  and  in  the  whole  experience  of  ten  years  only  two 
tires,  of  the  first,  very  light  pattern,  have  ever  broken.  These  were 
among  the  first  used ;  were  but  1|  inches  thick,  and  were  cast  without 
the  present  experience  in  chilling  which  the  founders  now  possess. 
The  Road  uses  these  tires  on  all  their  passenger  engines,  and  runs 
them  on  the  heavy  trains  between  Baltimore  and  Washington  as  fast 
as  40  miles  per  hour. 

That  the  wrought  iron,  shrunk  tire,  often  bursts  in  cold  weather, 
is  very  well  known  by  Railroad  men ;  indeed  they  are  quite  often 
burst  in  shrinking  them  on.  The  principle  of  their  application 
explains  this.  The  contraction  of  a  tire  upon  an  unyielding  wheel 
center  brings  the  same  enormous  strain  upon  it  as  would  be  required 
to  stretch  the  tire  bar,  when  cold,  for  half  an  inch,     At  a  low  tem- 


peraturc  the  strain  is  increased  as  the  contraction  of  the  wrought  iron 
exceeds  that  of  the  cast  iron  wheel  center,  while  the  shocks  upon  the 
wheel  are  greatly  increased  from  the  rigidity  of  the  frozen  track. 
The  Eastern  Railroad,  in  Massachusetts,  used  a  set  of  5  feet  chilled 
tires  under  one  of  their  passenger  engines  for  upwards  of  50.000 
miles  run,  without  failure,  although  a  number  of  wrought  iron  tires 
hurst  during:  the  same  time.  The  cast  iron  tire  is  secured  in  the 
firmest,  and,  by  experience,  the  most  secure  manner,  and  without  any 
strain. 

The  chilled  tire  will  not  become  broken  in  the  flange,  unless 
caused  by  running  oflf,  with  great  force,  upon  a  frog  or  switch.  The 
trucks  are  especially  exposed  to  this  breakage,  and  their  failure  is  the 
most  dangerous  in  its  results,  yet  the  truck  wheels  are  universally 
of  cast  iron.     • 

The  New  York  and  Erie  Raiboad  has  four  of  its  heaviest  engines, 
(two  being  of  thirty-seven  tons  weight  each,)  provided  with  chilled 
drivers,  and  they  are  constantly  employed  as  assistant  engines  upon 
the  most  elevated  and  difficult  points  on  the  line.  They  answer 
always  without  failure.  '  This  road  has  seven  engines  in  all,  using  the 
chilled  wheel,  and  six  of  these  are  the  moSt  powerful  on  the  road. 

Second:  Equal  or  greater  Durability,  The  duration  of  a  set 
of  2  inch  thick,  Best  Bowling,  tires  of  6  feet  diameter,  is  for  an 
average,  75.000  miles  run.  This  is  the  whole  duration  before  and 
after  re-turning.  The  5  feet  chilled  tires  on  the  "  main  stem  "  of  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  run  the  same  distance.  The  same  tires 
run  100.000  miles  between  Baltimore  and  Washington,  with  heavy 
passenger  trains.  The  wrought  tire  requires  turning  down,  say, 
three  times  in  this  service ;— the  chilled  tire  does  not  need  any  thing 
of  the  kind. 

The  duration  of  the  chilled  tire  running  freight  over  the  moun- 
tains upon  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  is  2|  years,  or  about 
50.000  miles.  These  are  upon  43,  46  and  50  inch  wheels,  coupled 
6  or  8  to  an  engine.  The  officers  of  this  road  say  they  could  not 
reasonably  maintain  the  wrought  tires,  as  the  sand  they  would  use 
upon  their  mountain  grades,  WOUld  SOOU  CUt  them  OUt, 

A  set  of  six  chilled  wheels  of  48  inches  diameter,  have  been  in 
use  upon  one  of  the  freight  engines  of  the  Boston  and  Lowell  Rail- 
road, for  upwards  of  27  months,  and  show  no  signs  of  wtar. 


6 

The  duration  of  these  tires  is  fully  equal  to  that  of  the  best 
Bowling  tire,  and  exceeds  it  in  bad  situations,  as  in  gravel  banks  or 
about  stations.  The  chilled  tires  will  do  good  service  for  tWO  years, 
in  depot  yards,  shifting  out  cars,  where  the  engine  is  constantly 
starting,  reversing,  or  stopping,  running  over  switches,  and  using  sand 
upon  a  wet  or  greasy  rail. 

Third:  Equal  adhesion.  The  trials  upon  the  Philadelphia  and 
Reading  and  upon  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroads,  will  prove  this 
claim.  The  first  heavy  engines  on  these  roads  had  eight  drivers  with 
wrought  iron  tires.  These  were  changed  to  chilled  tires,  or  chilled 
whole  wheels,  and  were  found  to  draw  the  same  train  in  the  same 
time,  showing  no  difference  in  the  adhesion.  Afterwards  the  front 
wheels  of  these  engines  were  removed,  and  a  pair  of  small  leading 
wheels,  or  a  truck,  substituted  in  place,  leaving  but  six  connected 
chilled  wheels.  No  difference  in  the  work  done  could  then  be  per- 
ceived. This  shows  that  many  engines  have  a  SUrpluS  of  adhesion  j 
more  than  what  is  made  available  by  the  tractive  power  of  the  engine, 
or  power  derived  from  the  pressure  of  steam  acting  in  the  cylinders. 
All  the  §0  ton  engines  now  huilding  for  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroads,  have  siX  COUpled  chilled  wheels 
only*  The  change  has  been  made  upon  other  roads,  with  four  and 
with  six  drivers,  and  the  chilled  tires  have  been  found,  in  all  cases,  to 
perform  equally  as  well  as  the  others.  Reference  to  many  of  the 
parties  who  will  support  these  statements,  will  be  found  at  the  end 
of  this  Circular. 

The  Engine  **Milo,"  which  received  the  gold  medal  for  the 
best  performance  at  the  Locomotive  trial,  made  in  connection  with 
the  Lowell  Fair,  at  Wilmington,  Mass.  Oct.  2d,  1851,  had  chilled 
drivers,  and  the  same  engine  has  always  maintained  the  reputation 
of  the  prize  engine  upon  the  Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  many  enginemen  do  not  start  a  train 
without  slipping  the  drivers,  of  whatever  number  and  material.  The 
practice  of  ''  slipping  the  wheels  "  is  very  injurious  to  the  tires  and  to 
the  rails,  and  with  coupled  drivers  is  never  necessary.  No  engine 
can  at  once  start  a  heavy  train  from  a  dead  stop  into  full  working 
speed,  either  by  using  sand  or  by  slipping  the  drivers.  The  chilled 
tire  possesses  as  much  effective  adhesion  as  is  ever  required  to  start 
in  a  proper  manner. 


7 
Fourth:  Fifty  per  cent,  less  expense  in  first  application.     The 

following  statements  based  upon  the  average  expense  of  different 
roads  will  support  this  claim.  The  statement  does  not  include  items 
which  are  the  same  for  both  kinds  of  tires,  such  as  turning  wheels  or 
"boring  tires,  turning  or  fitting  crank  pins,  etc. 

Cost  of  applying  a  set  of  fonr  5  feet  tires  of  wrought  iton, 
including  cast  iron  wheel  centers. 

5,200  lbs.  Drivers, at    Scents, $156,00. 

2,650  lbs.  Tires at  11  cents, 291,5a. 

3  days'  labor  setting, at  $1.50, 4,50. 

5  days  Squaring  and  turning,  at  $3.00, 15,00. 

Rivets,  Tools,  Extras,  etc 3.00. 


$470,00. 
Cost  of  same  set  for  chilled  tire. 
7,600  lbs.  Castings,  (wheels  and  tires)  at  3  cts.  $228,00. 

Bolts,  etc 3,00. 

Labor  applying  tires, * 3,00. 


$234,00. 
Showing  a  saving  of  fall  50  per  cent.     All  other  sizes  are  applied 
at  a  proportionate  reduction  of  expense. 

Fifth :  Seventy-Five  per  cent,  less  expense  for  subsequent  mainte- 
nance and  renewals. 

Cost  of  maintaining  and  renewing  a  set  of  bfeet  wrought  iron 
tires f  for  the  length  of  their  duration.  (75,000  miles.)  — • 
N.  B» — Boring  out  tires  is  not  included,  it  being  the  same  for 
each  tire. 

Three  times  turning,  3  days  each,  9  days  at  $3,. .  .$27.00 

"    takingout,  5  dys.  ea.  15  dys.,  at  $1.33^,  20.00 

Detention  of  Engine  for  turning  tires,  12  days,  at  $5,  60.00 

5  days  getting  wheels  from  under  Engine,  and ")       ^  ^m. 

removing  tires,  at  $1.33^, j       ^-^^ 

8  days  setting  tires,  at  $1,33^, 4.00 

2650  lbs.  new  tires,  at  11  cents, 291.50 

Tools,  Bolts,  etc 3.00 

5  days  squaring  and  turnmg  new  tires,  at  $3, 15.00 

3  days  getting  in  wheels,  at  $1,33^ 4.00 

7  days  detention  of  Engine,  at  $5, 35.00 

$466.17 


8 
Cost  of  renewing  and  maintaining  tlie  same  set  for  cliillcd  tire. 

Turning,  detention,  etc.  during  service, 00.00 

Renewing  8600  lbs.  tire,  at  3  cents, S108.00 

Bolts,  to  replace  a  few  broken  in  getting  out, .  50 

Labor  in  changing, 3.00 

Detention  of  Engine  1  day, 5.00 

$116.50 
Or  a  saving  of  full  seventy-five  per  cent.     The  chilled  tires  are 
changed  at  any  time,  without  taking  the  wheels  from  the  engine,  or 

letting  off  steam.    In  fact  a  set  may  often  be  changed  between  two 
trips,  so  as  not  to  detain  the  engine  at  all. 

The  facts  that  have  been  given  will  show  fully  the  durability, 
safety  and  economy  of  the  chilled  tire.  It  will  also  readily  occur  to 
the  mind  of  any  one  acquainted  with  Railroads,  that  less  machinery 
is  required  for  repairs  where  these  tires  are  generally  used ;  fewer 
engines  will  do  the  same  yearly  business,  and  less  value  of  stock  will 
he  invested  in  anticipation  of  renewals. 


TO  MASTER  MECHANICS. 


Having  stated  the  advantages  of  the  patent  slip,  Chilled  tire,  the 
Agent  wishes  to  make  the  necessary  distinction  between  this  and 
the  whole  chilled  wheel, 

The  chilled  surface  is  the  only  point  for  which  we  contend  in  the 
discussion  of  its  durability,  safety,  or  adhesion.  But  as  to  its  economy, 
the  removable  tire,  although  costing  a  trifle    more  at  the  outset,  is 

more  than  §0  per  cent,  cheaper  to  maintain.  Its  security  of  appli- 
cation is  complete,  where  it  is  held  upon  a  conical  surface  by  means 
of  hook  headed  bolts,  passed  sideways  through  the  rim,  the  body 
of  the  bolt  lieing  in  the  rim  of  the  wheel  center.  This  is  the  general 
method  of  holding  the  chilled  tire,  and  is  used  entirely  upon  100 
of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Engines.     It  never  allows  the 

tire  to  work  off, — on  the  contrary  the  tendency  is  to  work  the  tires  till 

further  on  the  rim.  The  great  beauties  of  this  plan  are  its  sim- 
plicity, expedition  of  renewal,  and  its  entire  safety ;  by  all  of  which, 
it  relieves  the  men  engaged  with  the  engines,  from  a  great  deal 
of  care,  and  saves  the  road  a  great  expense.  The  wheels  are  turned 
and  the  tires  bored  by  gauges,  so  that  no  difl&culty  need  be  had  in 
having  sets  of  tires  bored  out  and  kept  on  hand,  ready  for  changing. 

To  renew  the  whole  wheel  is  equivalent  to  throwing  aside  half  the 
material  as  good  a&  new,  and  the  absolute  waste  of  all  the  fitting  of  the 
wheels,  crank  pins,  etc.  together  with  the  labor  of  getting  the  wheels 
from  under  the  engine,  replacing  them,  re-setting  valves,  etc.  Some 
mechanics  say  that  the  crank  pins  are  of  no  account,  as  they  will  not 
outwear  a  set  of  tires,  and  that  in  either  case  they  would  require  to  be 
renewed.  But,  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  the  crank  pius 
outwear  three  or  four  sets  of  tires.  They  case-harden  their  crank 
pins,  while  Winans  welds  a  sheet  of  steel  around  the  crank  pins  of  his 
last  Engines,  and  turns  the  journal  in  that. 

2  • 


10 

The  extra  expense  of  "boring  tires  and  turning  wheels  is  about  $4 
per  wheel,  for  the  first  application  of  the  chilled  tire.  The  items 
of  cost  in  changing  the  wheels  would  stand  as  follows :  -r-. 

Cost  of  renewing  4  Chilled  Drivers  of  5  feet  diameter. 

4  Wheel  Castings,  7,200  lbs.  at  3  cents, $216.00 

4  Men,  2  days  each,  getting  wheels  out  and  off  axles,    12.00 

3  days'  labor  boring  and  squaring  wheels,  at  $3, .....  9.00 

175  lbs.  crank  pins,  at  7  cents, 12  25 

Turning     do.     do.     4  pins,  at  $2, 8.00 

Fitting       do.     do.  at  75  cts 3.0O 

Drawing  on  wheels,  fitting  keys,  etc 12.00 

4  Men  1 J  days  each,  getting  wheels  under  engine, )    q  qa 

replacing  connections,  setting  valves,  etc.  6  days,  j 
6  days  detention  of  engine,  at  S5, 30.00 


$311.25 


For  Chilled  Tire:  Relative  expenses  for  renewing. 

To  $116.50,  the  sum  stated  on  page  8,  add  $8  for  boring  tires, 
and  the  expense  is  $124.50, — saving  $186.75  for  each  renewal  of  4 
wheels.  From  this  deduct  one  third  of  the  expense  of  a  set  of  crank 
pins,  fitting,  etc.  say  $10,  allowing  one  set  of  pins  to  outwear  3  sets 
of  tires, — the  saving  is  full  $175  for  every  renewal.  Indeed  it  may 
be  said  that  nearly  the  Whole  advantage  derived  from  a  substitution 
of  chilled  cast  iron,  is  held  by  the  removable  tire  only,  The  form 
of  tire,  recommended  by  the  assignee  of  the  patent,  is  a  hollow  tire, 
having  a  whole  depth  of  six  or  seven  inches,  and  secured  to  a  double 
plate  center.  This  is  the  lightest  and  strongest  form.  The  advantages 
of  the  double  plate  are  well  known  to  be  strength,  even  chill  of  tire, 

easy  movement  in  the  air,  not  fanning  the  track,  and  convenience  in 
counterbalancing,  and  in  cleaning.    The  spoke  wheel,  with  chilled 

rim,  can  seldom  be  evenly  chilled  opposite  the  ends  of  the  spokes. 

Mechanics  who  can  look  at  this  subject,  without  prejudice,  should 
witness  the  success  of  these  tires  upon  many  roads  where  they  are  in 
use,  and  are  recommended  to  try  them  upon  one  or  several  engines, 
and  to  keep  fair  accounts  of  their  expenses.  We  submit  our  statement 
to  them,  and  ask  them  candidly  to  tell  wherein  the  merits  of  the 
chilled  tire  have  been  over-estimated. 


11 

The  only  objections  wliich  are  ever  urged  against  tlie  chilled  tire 
are,  that  it  may  possibly  break,  and  that  it  has  not  enough  adhesion. 
It  needs  only  a  fair  trial  to  satisfy  any  one  that  these  statements  are 
groundless.  To  prove  its  greater  security,  we  have  alluded  particu- 
larly to  its  history  upon  the  most  difficult  road  in  the  country ;  and  it 
is  plain  that  a  wheel  which  can  endure  the  hardest  service  is  adapted 
to  smooth  roads,  without  any  risk.  The  engines  to  which  we  refer, 
are  also  worked  to  their  full  power,  and  it  is  evident  that  any  loss 
of  adhesion  would  be  at  once  regarded,  but  no  such  loss  is  admitted 
by  those  having  the  wheel  in  use. 


I 


TO  MEN  FINANCIALLY  INTERESTED  IN  RAILWAYS. 


The  facts  whicli  have  herein  been  brought  to  your  notice,  have 
an  important  application  to  the  subject  of  Railway  Economy.  "We 
have  shown  a  saving  of  $235  in  the  first  application  of  a  set  of  chilled 
tires  to  a  four-driver  engine.  The  average  saving  for  first  class 
freight  engines,  with  six  drivers,  would  be  $300  each,  (increasing 
with  the  number  of  drivers,)  which  would  be  made  eithet  in  favor  of 
the  road  or  of  the  builder.  This  sum,  upon  a  road  having  150  freight 
Locomotives,  as  the  New  York  and  Erie  Railroad  will  soon  have, 
would  be  a  saving  of  Forty-Five  Thousand  Dollars  in  the  first  cost 
of  motive  .power.  The  yearly  saving  to  such  a  road  would  be  $140 
on  each  four-driver  engine,  or  an  average  of,  say  $175,  throughout 

their  whole  stock,  making  an  annual  saving  of  Twenty-Six  Thousand 
Two  Hundred  and  Fifty  Dollars. 

Let  each  of  the  great  Freight  lines,  the  Pennsylvania  Central; 
the  Reading ;  the  Ogdensburgh ;  the  Rutland  and  Burlington ;  the 
Vermont  Central;  and  the  great  Roads  of  the  West  —  to  whom  this 
improvement  recommends  itself  in  every  consideration  of  climate, 
efficiency  or  economy ;  —  let  each  make  its  own  estimates, —  there  will 
be  found  a  great  sum  saved  to  the  capital  of  the  country.  The 
improved  tire  saves  more  than  half  the  expense  of  first  cost,  and 
what  is  spent  at  all  is  retained  in  our  own  country,  and  is  not  carried 
from  our  own  shores  to  England.     Recollect,  gentlemen,  that  these 

statements  are  not  imaginary;  —  the  actual  saving  is  now  realized 

for  every  engine  using  the  improvement.  It  has  been  realized  on 
important  lines  for  a  Series  of  years.  The  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad  Engines,  running  over  the  hardest  line  in  the  country,  and 
working  up  to  their  full  capacity,  show  an  average  expense  for  repairs 
of  five  cents  per  mile,  run  in  the  year  1852.     The  expense  upon 


13 

the  Erie  Railroad  averaged  eight  and  a  half  cents  per  mile,  orj^seventy 
per  cent,  more  than  upon  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad ;  and  very 
much  of  this  saving  upon  the  latter  Road  is  due  to  the  general  adop- 
tion of  this  improvement.  And  the  direct  saving  of  so  much  capital 
and  annual  outlay  must  operate  to  reduce  the  amount  of  capital  sunk 
in  fixtures  indirectly  chargeable  to  repairs.  As  the  saving  is  clear 
and  entire,  not  a  removal  of  one  expense  followed  by  the  substitution 
of  a  greater,  so  must  the  effect  extend  to  such  a  circle  of  accounts. 

And  now,  having  set  forth  the  economy  and  safety  of  the  chilled 

tire,  it  is  proper  to  make  a  clear  distinction  between  that  improvement 

and  the  whole  chilled  wheel.  The  latter  has  the  same  efficiency  and 
safety,  but  is  attended  with  a  far  greater  expense  for  maintenance, 
the  average  difference  in  the  renewal  of  a  set  of  six  wheels  being 
$225,  or  a  saving  of  one  hundred  dollars  per  engine,  per  year,  in 
favor  of  the  removable  tire,  which,  for  150  Engines,  would  amount 
to  Fifteen  Thousand  Dollars  per  year.  The  renewal  of  the  whole  wheel 
is  unmechanicai  in  principle,  is  very  expensive,  and  is  attended  with 
no  advantage  to  oflfeet  either  of  these  objections. 


TESTIMONIALS 


Baltimore  and  Ohio  R.  R.  Office,         "^ 
January  2d,  1850.  j 
Mr.  L.  B.  Tyng,  Lowell,  Mass. 

Sir:  —  Your  favor  of  tlie  26tli  ult.  is 
before  me,  asking  my  opinion  of  tlie  Chilled  Cast  Iron  Tires,  of 
Messrs.  Perkins  &  Me  Mahon,  patentees.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  speak 
favorably  of  them,  nor  to  say  that  I  would  give  them  the  preference 
over  wrought  iron  tires,  whenever  the  adhesive  tenacity  of  the  latter 
to  the  rails  is  not  all  called  for,  there  being  somewhat  less  adhesion 
to  the  chilled  wheel. 

This  can,  however,  scarcely  be  called  a  practical  point,  as  nearly 
all  of  the  Passenger  Engines  now  in  use,  have  a  surplus  of  adhesion, 
and  nearly  all  Freight  Engines  being  provided  with  the  sand  box,  for 
emergencies  arising  from  sharp  curves,  heavy  grades  or  wet  rails. 

The  Chilled  Tire  is  very  much  cheaper  in  first  cost,  will  last 
longer,  and  offers  a  facility  for  putting  it  on  the  wheel,  rendering 
comparison  with  the  wrought  iron  tire  an  absurdity  —  it  not  being 
necessary  even  to  take  the  wheels  from  the  machine  for  the  purpose. 
Many  of  them  are  in  successful  use  on  this  road,  and  I  consider  its 
curves  and  other  peculiarities  the  most  severe  of  all  existing  tests. 
One  set  of  five  feet  in  diameter,  has  run  50,000  miles  under  one 
of  our  Passenger  Engines,  and  will,  to  all  appearance,  run  as  many 
more ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  they  have  not  cost  a  dollar  for  repairs 
or  adjustment. 

It  may  be  suggested  that  they  might  not  stand  a  Northern  frost. 
This  is  possible ;  but  I  believe  otherwise,  as  the  weather  here  is  occa- 


15 

Bionally  as  severe  as  in  Boston,  and  if  I  had  charge  of  a  northern 
road,  after  the  experience  I  have  had  here,  I  would  make  the  trial 
one  of  my  very  first  acts. 

Respectfully,  your  Ob't  Serv't, 

WM.  PARKER,  General  Supt..  etc. 


} 


Philadelphia,  Wilm.  and  Balt.  R.  R.  Office, 
Wihiiington,  Del.  Jan.  29,  1851. 
Mr.  L.  B.  Tyng,— 

Sir  :  —  We  have  used  the  solid  Cast  Iron  Chilled 
Wheel,  and  Cast  Iron  Chilled  Tire,  for  engine  drivers,  on  this  road, 
since  1842.  When  wrought  iron  tires  under  new  engines,  purchased 
from  time  to  time,  wear  out,  I  invariably  replace  them  with  the  Chilled 
Tire  of  Messrs.  Perkins  &  Mc  Mahon,  patentees. 

These  Tires  will  last,  on  the  average,  three  times  as  long  as 
wrought  tires;  seldom  requiring  renewals  under  three  years,  and 
lasting  much  longer  usually.  We  have  a  set  which  has  been  in 
constant  use  for  five  years,  and  still  in  fair  order.  The  adhesion 
supplied  by  the  Chilled  Tires,  I  find  in  practice  with  engines  of  the 
same  model  and  weight,  to  be  equal  to  that  given  by  wrought  tires. 
This  is  certainly  a  fact,  though  not  an  acknowledged  one,  in  general. 
Those  who  think  otherwise,  will  in  time  change  their  opinions. 

I  am  of  opinion  that  the  Chilled  Tire  is  as  safe  as  the  wrought, 
at  any  temperature.  In  eight  years'  use  we  have  broken  but  one  tire 
out  of  more  than  fifty,  and  that  by  a  violent  concussion  on  the  occa- 
sion of  a  '  run  off.' 

The  use  of  the  Chilled  Tire,  and  the  ease  and  rapidity  with  which 
it  may  be  replaced,  would  certainly  enable  a  road  to  do  the  same 
amount  of  work  with  fewer  engines  —  since  but  little  time  would  be 
lost  in  laying  up  an  engine  for  new  tires,  or  for  turning  down  old 
ones,  as  must  be  done  when  wrought  tires  are  used. 

I  am  yours  respectfully, 

I.  R.  TRIMBLE, 
Engineer  and  General  Sup't. 


Office  Eastern  Railroad,         > 
Salem,  Dec.  23,  1850.  j 
L.  B.  Tyng,  Esq.— 

Sir :  —  Your  favor  of  November  30th,  inquiring 
respecting  the  Chilled  Cast  Iron  Tires,  came  duly  to  hand,  and  in 


16 

answer  I  will  say,  that  this  road  have  in  use  one  set  cast  and  fitted 
to  the  wheel,  by  Messrs.  Bush  &  Lobdell,  upon  a  twenty-ton  first 
class  Passenger  Engine,  which  has  nin  in  eight  months,  26,639  miles, 
and,  to  all  appearance,  are  about  as  good  as  when  they  first  commenced 
running. 

In  regard  to  the  comparative  expense  of  the  cast  or  wrought  iron 
tires,  I  do  not  hesitate  to-  say  that  the  difference  would  be  vastly  in 
favor  of  the  former. 

I  have  ordered  a  second  set,  and  they  will  be  put  on  to  the  engine 
immediately.  Respectfully, 

JOHN  KINSMAN,  Sup't  E.  R.  E. 


Reference  may  also  be  made  to  — 
B.  H.  LATROBE, 

Chief  Engineer  Bait,  and  Ohio  K.  R.,  Wheeling,  Va. 

S.  J.  HAYES, 

Master  of  Machinery,  Bait,  and  Ohio  K.  R.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

H.  W.  FARLEY, 

Master  Mechanic,  Eastern  Railroad,  Boston,  Mass. 

a.  B.  KING, 

Master  Mechanic,  Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad,  Boston. 

G.  S.  GRIGGS, 

Master  Mechanic,  Boston  and  Providence  R.  R.,  Roxbury. 

JOSEPH  BLANCHARD, 

Engineer,  Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad. 

WM.  H.  CLEMENTS, 

Superintendent  Little  Miami  Railroad,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


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